Controller for electric-railway motors.



No. 68!,453. Patented Aug. 27, I901.

F. A. IERRICK &. E. W. STULL.

C ONTBOLLER FOR ELECTRIC BAILWAY QOTORS.

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Patented Aug. 27, 'l90l. F. A. IERBICK G. E. W. STULL. CONTROLLER FOB ELECTRIC RAILWAY IOTORS.

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No. 68!,453. Patented Aug. 27, I90I. F. A. MERRICK &. E. W. STULL. 'CONTROLLER FOR ELECTRIC RAILWAY IOTORS.

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No. 68!,453. Patented Aug. 27, I90l. F. A. MERRICK & E. W. STULL.

CONTROLLER FOR ELECTRIC RAILWAY MOTORS.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK A. MERRIOK AND EMMETT W. STULL, OF JOHNSTOWVN, PENNSYL- VANIA, ASSIGNORS TO THE LORAIN STEEL COMPANY, OF PENNSYL- VANIA.

CONTROLLER FOR ELECTRIC-RAILWAY MOTORS.

SPECIFZCATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 681,453, dated August 27, 1901.

Application filed September 28, 1900. Serial No. 31,430. (No model.)

T (0% whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, FRANK A. MERRIOK and EMMETT \V. STULL, of Johnstown, in the county of Cambria and State of Pennsylvania,

have invented a new and useful Improvement in Controllers for Electric-Railway Motors, of which the following is a full, clear, and exactdescription, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part of this specification.

Our invention has relation to combined power and brake controllers for electric-railway motors, and more particularly to controllers of the series-parallel type for use with four or more motors. In controllers of this class, and particularly in those which are employed with systems of control wherein the motor fields and armatures are handled more or less separately, so that the terminals of each of the motor elements must be connected with the fixed contacts of the controller, it has been customary to provide a separate controller-drum for each pair or group of motors and to electrically connect the two drums in a suitable manner to eifect the desired motor combinations. This arrangment not only involves a more or less complete duplication of contacts, but the use of gearing or other mechanical means for 0 simultaneously operating the two drums and complicates the mechanical structure and electrical connections of the controller.

Our present invention is designed to make it possible to control the power and speed and also the braking effort of four or even more motors by a single drum. We accomplish this object by providing a contact arrangement in the controller whereby the motor elements may be connected in groups and the groups connected in various ways to accelerate or retard the motors, as hereinafter more fully described and pointed out, and also whereby certain of the connections between the individual elements of the groups may be broken and each armature connected directly in series with its field with the motors all in parallel for higher speeds. Furthermore, inasmuch as it is necessary to bring the terminals of all the armatures or all the fields to a reversing-switch in order to reverse the direction of the motors, we utilize such switch to eifect certain connections of the motor elements in groups. \Ve also employ separate cut-out switches to which the terminals of all the motor elements are connected, said switches being so arranged that one pair of motors may be entirely out out of circuit without disturbing the circuit connections of the other pair or pairs.

Our invention further consists in the novel construction, combination, and arrangement of parts, all as hereinafter described, and pointed out in the appended claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a complete wiring-diagram of a controller embodying our invention as used with four motors, the several switches being shown in planular development. Fig. 2 is a diagram showing graphically the circuit conditions which result from the diiferent power posi- 7o tions of the controlling-switch. Fig. 3 is a similar view showing the circuit conditions in the several braking positions of said drum. Fig. 4 is a view, partly in section and partly in side elevation, of the upper portion of our improved controller with the casing partially removed. Fig. 5 is a section on the line 5 5 of Fig. at. Fig. 6 is a similar view on the line 6 6 of Fig. 4. Figs. 7 and 8 are detail views of the auxiliary switch, and Fig. 9 is a planular view, partly diagrammatic, of the controller-dru m,illustratin g its relative power and braking positions. Figs. 10 and 11 are transverse and longitudinal sections, respectively,of one of the cut-out switches; and Fig. 12 is a detail view of one of the double contact-fingers.

In the drawings the letter O designates the rotary controller drum, which is mechanically ot' the usual type and upon which are mounted a plurality of contacts,whioh are designated c 0' 0 &c., to c. The several power positions of this drum are indicated on Fig.

l by the vertical lines 1 to 7 inclusive, and

in Fig. 9 by the radial lines similarly desig- 5 uated. The braking positions are indicated by the lines 1, 2 3, and 4. Intermediate the first power and the first brake position is an open circuit or off position, and from this point the drum is rotated in one direction for too the power positions and in the opposite direction for the brake positions.

AS designates the auxiliary switch, which contacts a and (t or the contacts a 00%, the

former in all the power positions of the controller and the latter in all its brake positions. This movable member is carried by a pivoted arm B, which is actuated by a cam 13 on the shaft of the drum 0. Said cam has a high portion 1), a low portion 1), and an intermediate portion 6 the latter being for the purpose of holding the contact a midway be-. tween the two pairs of fixed contacts when the drum 0 is at its off position.

BS is the reversing-switch, having two rows of 'movable contacts, one on the line marked Ahead and the other row on the line marked Back. In tracing the circuits hereinafter it will be necessary to consider only those contacts on the ahead line and which are designated as z z 5 &c., to and including Z. The four motors are designated, respectively, as No. 1, No. 2, No. 3, and No. 4, and their fields and armatures are respectively further designated as F F F F and A A A? A C0 is the cut-out switch for motors Nos. 1 and 2, and CO is the cut-out switch for motors Nos. 3 and 4. These two switches are preferably mounted adjacent to each other in a casing D, which is independent of the controller-casing. Each of these switches comprises a plurality of spring terminal lugs or contacts K, arranged in two separate rows, opposite lugs in the two rows being bridged by blades K. All the blades are carried in a block K of wood or other insulating material, fastened on a rock-shaft K*, by actuating "which the blades may be moved out of engagement with said lugs. a v y K represents slips of insulating material which are placed between adjacent pairs of lugs to prevent any arcing from one across to the other.

The block K is preferably so near the easing D that when actuated to open the circuit it'will prevent the door D of said casing from being closed. The door standing open is an indication to the motorman that one pair of motors is cut out of circuit. a v

R indicates artificial resistance, T indicates thetrolle'yconnection, and G (wherever seen) indicates a ground connection.

CS designates a canopy-switch; FB, a'fusebox; LA,a lightning-arrester; G0, a chokec'o'i'l, and B00 a blow-out coil.

Both the controlling and reverse switches are provided with a series of fixed contactfin'ger's of the usual type; but instead of giving a separate reference character to each of these fingers we have in order to facilitate the tracing of the various circuits considered said fingers as parts of the respective electrical connections, to each end of which we have applied a similar reference character, thus enabling the connections to be more readily followed. We have also designated the connection leading to and from the terminals of the motorarmatures and fields by reference characters which are similar to the reference characters designating said armatures and fields, with the addition of plus or minus signs thereto to indicate the current direction. The relative arrangement of contacts and the various electrical connections between the same and the various parts of the circuits are clearly and fully shown in Fig. 1, and a detailed description thereof will add nothing to the clearness of said figure.

In the first power position of the drum C the circuit is as follows: from trolley to contacts 0 to BOO, fingers 18 and 17, to contacts 2 and .2 Here the circuit divides, one branch being from contact a to 2 through connection 5 to CO, to and through armature A, back to CO, through connection 6 to contacts 2 2 connection 19, to contact 0 The other branch is from contact 2 to contact 2, connection 12 to 00 to and through armature A back to CO by connection 13 to contacts 2 a by connection 20 to contact 03 where the two branches unite.

The circuit is now to contact 0 to connection 21, to contacts 2 2 Here the circuit again divides, one path being from contact .2 to 2 to connect-ion 9, to CO, to and through armature A back to CO, to connection 10, to contacts 2 2 to connection '22, to contact 0 The other path is from contact 2 to a, to connection 15, to 00 to armature A, back to 00*, to connection 16, to contacts 2 z, to connection 23, to contact 0 where it unites with the first path. From contact 0 the path is to 0 and as the contact is engaged by a double brush the current again divides, one path being by connection '7 to GO, to field F, back to CO, to connection 8, to contact 0 The other path is by connection 14. to 00 to field F back to 00*, to connection 8, to contact 0 Contact 0 is electrically connected to contact 0 which is engaged bytwo brushes, and one portion of the current goes by connectionl'? to CO, to

field F back to CO, to connection 18, to

contact 0 and the other portion by way of connection 11 to 00 to field F back to CO to connection 18, where the two portions unite. From contact a the circuit is to contact c, to connection 1, to and through the IIO entire resistance R, connection 4:, and switch 4 AS to ground. By reference to the diagram marked position 1 in Fig. 2, which represents graphically the circuit just traced, it

will be seen that the four motors are in efiect connected in two parallel connected groups whose individual motors are in series with each other and that the resistance R 'is in series with said groups. The only change eifected in passing through positions 2, 3, and at is to successively short-circuit dif-.

ferent portions of the resistance R until at position 4 the entire resistance is short-circnited. This is elfected by contacts c and 0 being successively engaged by the corresponding contact-fingers, and thus providing by the connections 2, 3, and at paths around successive portions of the resistance. At position the circuit through the four armatures is the same as in position 1; but by reason of the engagement of the contact 0 as well as contact 0 there is provided multiple paths 11,17, 7, and let to the fields of all four motors, the return-circuit being through the cut-out switches and connections 8 and 18 to the connected contacts 0 and c, and thence by contact 0, connection a, and switch AS to ground. In passing from position 5 to position 6 the circuit is momentarily opened on the drum 0, and at position 6 the four armatures are connected all in multiple with each other and in series with the fields which are in series parallel, as in position 1. The multiple connection of the armature is effected by reason of the engagement of the contacts 0'' c with the corresponding fingers,

so that while the circuit through armatures A and A is by a path similar to that described in position 1 there is a parallel circuit through armatures A 'A by way of connection 21 to contacts .2 .2 where the current divides between contacts .2 and .2 one part passing to A by contact .2 connection 9, and switch 00 and back by connection to contacts c and by connection 22 to contact 0 and the other part passing to armature A" by way of contact .2", connection 15, switch CO and back through connection 16 to contacts .2 to connection 23 to contact From the contact 0 the circuit through the fields is the same as in position 1, except in so far as different but corresponding contacts of the 0 group enter into the circuit. Position '7 is the full parallel position, and the circuit may be traced as follows: from trolley to contacts c c to blow-0ut coil, after passing through which the current divides, one path being to contact-fingers 17 and 18. Here the current divides along two subpaths, one subpath being through motor No. 1 by way of contacts .2 a, connection 5, CO, armature.

A, CO, connection 6, contacts .2 2' connection 19, contacts 0 c connection 7, CO, field F, GO, connection 8, contacts 0 0, connection 4, switch AS to ground. The outer 'subpath is through motor No. 3 by way of contacts 2' a", connection 12, switch CO armature A 00 connection 13, contacts 5 .2 connection 20, contacts c 0 connection 14, switch 00 field F CO to connection 8, Where it joins the first snbpath. The other main path is from the blow-out coil to finger 25, to contacts 0 and 0 to connection 21, to contacts 2 Here again two subpaths present themselves, one being through motor No. 2 by way of contacts .2 .2, connection 9, C0, A C0, connection 10, contacts 2,

connection 22, contacts 0 c connection 11, switch 00', field F 00, connection 18, contacts 0 0, connection 4, and switch AS to ground. The other. subpath is by contacts a a, connection 15, switch 00 armature A 00 connection 16, contacts a, connection 23, contacts 0 0 connection 17, switch 00 field F, 00 to connection 18, where it joins the first snbpath.

It will be seen that the controller above described handles the motor elements in groups-that is to say, the armatures and fields of the four motors are each connected in two groups in each of which the individual elements are in parallel with each other, and these groups in the first four positions of the drum 0 are all connected in series. Then the two field groups are connected in multiple and in series with the series-connected armature groups. Then this relation is reversed and the two armature groups are connected in multiple and in series with the series-connected field groups, and finally the connections between the elements of each group are broken by separating certain of the terminal connections and connecting the negative terminals of the armatures respectively directly to the positive terminals of the corresponding fields with all the motors connected in parallel.

The multiple grouping of the armatures is effected by the reverse-switch, since in the present instance the armatures are reversed to reverse the motors, while the similar grouping of the fields is effected by the regulatingswitch, the connections between the groups being of course entirely controlled by the regulating-switch. By making certain of the contacts of the regulating-switch of sufficient breadth to be simultaneously engaged by two fixed contact-fingers (see fingers 11 and 17, 7 and 14, and the fingers to which lead connections 19 and 20 and 22 and 23) we avoid largely duplication of contacts and make it possible to handle the four motors by a single drum without unduly increasing the size of the drum. This arrangement results in equalizing connections for the motors; but such connections are not objectionable except in the high-speed position and are prevented at that position by insulating the casting which carries contacts 0 c from the casting which carries the contacts 0 and 0 and also similarly insulating contacts 0 and c from contacts 0 0 so that at this position the cross connections between the negative terminals of the armatures of each group and the similar connections between the positive terminals of the fields of each group are broken and a straight series connection is made between each armature and its field.

When the controller is moved in the opposite direction to the first braking position, the circuit is as shown at 1 in Fig. 3that is to say, the current flows from the positive brushes of the motors in multiple to and through the blow-out coil, to and through IIO the switch AS, (which has now been moved over to its other position,) to and through the resistance, thence through the four fields in -multiple, and thence back to the negative brushes of the motors. The path in detail is from the positive brush of motor No. l to CO, to connection 5, to contacts 2 2 from motor No. 3 to 00 to connection 12, to contacts 2 z, the two paths meeting in contactfingers 17 and 18, thence to and through the blow-out coil, thence to and through switch AS, thence to the upper group of contacts on the drufn c, thence to connection 4, thence to and through resistance R, thence through connection 1 to the upper group of 0 contacts, to contacts 0 0 thence in multiple through the four fields by connections 11, 17, 7, and 1 1, returning through connections 18 and 8 to contacts 0 0 thence to contacts 0 6 From contact 0 the current passes in multiple through the parallel connections 22 23, one part going by connection 22 to contacts .2 a to connection 10, and switch 00 to the negative side of the armature A and the other part by connection 23 to contacts 2 2 and connection 16 to switch CO and the negative side of armature A From the contact 0 the current passes in multiple through the parallel connections 19 and 20, one part going by connection 19 to contacts .2 .2 connection 6, and switch 00' to negative side of armature A and the other part by connection so to contacts 2 2 connection 16, and switch 00 to the negative side of armature A From the positive brush of motor No. 2 the current goes to CO, to connection 9, to contacts 2 2 to connection 21, and from the positive brush of motor No. 4 the path is through switch CO to connection 15, to contacts 2 s and also to connection 21, where the two paths meet and pass to contacts 0 and 0 and thence to the blowout coil, where it joins the path first traced. The motors are now connected in multiple in a closed local circuit, which includes all the resistance and run as generators driven by the momentum of the car. Positions 2*, 3, and 4 simply shortcircuit successive sections of the resistance, which is all removed at position et 'This short-circuiting of the resistance is effected by the successive engagement of the contacts 0 c 0, thereby providing the successive connections 2, 3, and 4: around portions of the resistance.

It is obvious that ourinvention is not limited to a controller having the particular contact arrangement and connections herein shown and described, butmay be used in carrying out systems of control in which different combinations of the motors and their elements are used. It is also obvious that the mechanical features shown and described may be modified in detail without departing from the spirit and scope of our invention as set forth in the following claims. Hence we do not wish to be limited to the particular construction, combination, and arrangement of parts which we have herein shown and described.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination with a plurality of electric motors, and separate connections leading from the terminals of each of the motor elements, of a single movable contact-carrying member having a plurality of contacts arranged in successive positions of said member to connect the motor elements in groups in which the individual elements of each group are in parallel with each other, to connect certain of the groups either in series or in parallel with each other, and to connect all the motors as a whole in parallel.

2. The combination with a plurality of electric motors, and separate connections leading from the terminals of each of the motor elements, of a single movable contact-carrying member having contacts arranged in different positions of said member to connect the motor elements in groups in which the individual elements of each group are in parallel with each other, to connect said groups all in series, partly in series and partlyin parallel, and also to connect the motors as a whole in parallel.

3. Thecombination witha plurality of electric motors, of a controller therefor having a contact-carrying member provided with a plurality of contacts arranged in different p0-v sitions of said member to connect the motor armatures and fields in series-parallel groups, then to connect the field groups in parallel with each other and in series with the armature groups, then to connect the armature group in parallel and in series with the seriesconnect-ed field groups, and finally to connect each armature in series with its corresponding field and all the motors as a whole in parallel.

4- The combination with a plurality of electric motors, and separate connections leading from the terminals of each element of each motor, of a controller having a contactcarrying member provided with contacts arranged to connect the motor armatures and fields in series-parallel groups, to connect all the armature groups in series or in parallel with each other, and all the field groups in series or in parallel with each other, to connect the parallel groupsin series with the se-' ries groups, and to connect all the motors as a whole in multiple.

5. The combination with four or more electric motors, and separate connections leading from the terminals of each of the motor elements, of a single contact-carrying member having upon one portion of its periphery a set of contacts arranged to connect the motors in series-parallel groups, and also all in parallel, and to effect the change from one connection to the other through suitable intermediate changes, and upon another portion of its periphery a set of contacts arranged to connect the motors in parallel in a closed local circuit to run as generators.

6. The combination with a plurality of electric motors, and separate connectionsleading from the terminals of each of the motor elements, of a controller-drum having contacts arranged to connect the motor elements in pairs and to connect said pairs in various ways to control the power and speed of the motors, said drum having other contacts brought into operation by a reverse movement of the drum from its ofi position to connect all the motors in parallel in a closed local circuit to run as generators.

7. The combination with a plurality of electric motors, and separate connections leading from the terminals of each of the motor elements, of a controller-drum having contacts arranged to connect the motor elements in pairs and to connect said pairs in various ways to regulate the power and speed of the motors, said drum having other contacts broughtinto operation by a reverse movement of the drum from its off position to connect the motors in parallel in a closed local circuit of variable resistance to run as generators, and to vary the said resistance.

8. The combination of aplurality of electric motors, a controller therefor and separate connections leading from each of the motor elements to fixed contacts of the controller,

the latter having cooperating movable contacts arranged to connect corresponding motor elements in pairs, and corresponding pairs eitherin series or in parallel with each other.

9. The combination of a plurality of electric motors, a controller therefor, and separate connections leading from each of the motor elements to fixed contacts of the controller, the latter having a plurality of movable contacts which cooperate with the fixed contacts in difierent positions of the switch to connect corresponding motor elements in pairs, and corresponding pairs either in series or in parallel with each other, and also at the highspeed position of the controller to break the connection between the elements of each pair and connect each armature in straight series with its corresponding field.

10. In a controller, a switch mechanism having contacts arranged to connect the armatures and fields of aplurality of motors in groups whose individual elements are in parallel with each other and to connect corresponding groups either in series or in parallel with each other, and other contacts arfrom the terminals of each of the motor elements, of a controller for said motors having a single controlling-drum provided with contacts for connecting one element of each motor in parallel with the corresponding element of a second motor and a reverse-switch having contacts for effecting a similar connection of the remaining elements, said controllingdrum also having contacts and connections for connecting the pairs of similar elements both in series and in parallel with each other and in series with the remaining pairs.

12. The combination with four electric motors, and separate circuit connections leading from the terminals of each of the motor elements, of a controller for said motors having a single controlling-drum provided with contacts for connecting one element of each motor in parallel with the corresponding element of 'a second motor, and a reverse-switch having contacts for effecting a similar connection of the remaining elements, said controllingdrum also having contacts and connections for connecting the pairs of similar elements both in series and in parallel with each other and in series with the remaining pairs, and for breaking the connections between certain terminals of each group and connecting each armature in series with its field, and all the motors in parallel.

13. The combination with four electric m0- tors, and separate circuit connections leading from the terminals of each of-the motor elements, of a controller for said motors having a single controlling-dru m provided with contacts for connecting one element of each motorin parallel with the corresponding element of a second motor, and a reverse-switch having contacts for efiecting a similar connection of the remaining elements, said controllingdrum also having contacts and connections for connecting the pairs of similar elements both in series and in parallel with each other and in series with the remaining pairs, and other contacts arranged to connect the motors in a closed local circuit to run as generators.

14. The combination of a plurality of electric motors, a controller therefor, and sepa rate connections leading from each of the motor elements to fixed contacts of the controller, the latter having cooperating movable contacts arranged to connect corresponding motor elements in pairs, and corresponding pairs either in series or in parallel with each other together with independent switches arranged to cutout of circuit one element in each pair of elements.

15. The combination with a plurality of electric motors, having each of their elements provided with separate terminal connections, and a controller arranged to connect said elements in pairs and the pairs indifferent ways to vary the power and speed of the motors, of switches connected in the said separate terminal connections and arranged to break ICC ' 5 fixed contacts to which are connected both the circuit to one element of each of said with an actuating device carrying said movpairs. able contacts.

16. In apparatus for the control of electric In testimony whereof We have affixed our motors, a cut-out switch having a series of signatures in presence of two witnesses.

' FRANK A. MERRICK.

terminals of each element of a pair of motors, EMMETT W. STULL a second series of similar contacts connected to the fixed contacts of a controller, and a se- Witnesses: ries of movable contacts each arranged to BLANOHE M. SMITH, :0 bridge two opposite fixed contacts, together H. W. SMITH. 

